Pies Pies Pies and more Pies

For November we decided to be thankful for pies. Sarah Smith taught us all about these wonderful things.

Here are the recipes:

Banoffee pie (Rachel White)

INGREDIENTS

Crust

9 ounces graham crackers

1 stick butter, melted

Toffee sauce

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Filling

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

5 small bananas (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

DIRECTIONS

To make the crust: Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Blend the graham crackers in a food processor until they are finely ground.

Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and process to blend well. The crumbs should stick together when pressed.

Press the crumb mixture over the bottom and 1½ inches up the sides of the springform pan. Refrigerate.

To make the toffee sauce: Place a medium-heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a medium-heavy saucepan.

Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil without stirring until the color is deep amber, occasionally swirling the pan and brushing down the sides with a pastry brush dipped into water, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the condensed milk and butter. Continue stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

Remove the toffee sauce from the heat and spread 1 cup of the sauce over the prepared crust and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the caramel is semi-firm.

Keep the remaining caramel sauce at room temperature.

To fill the pie: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream in a large bowl until thick and very soft billowy peaks form.

Very thinly slice 3 of the bananas into discs. Fold the sliced bananas into the softly whipped cream and spoon into the prepared pie crust.

Slice the remaining bananas and arrange them decoratively over the pie.

Re-warm the remaining toffee sauce gently over low heat.

Drizzle some of the sauce decoratively over the pie. If the sauce has thickened too much to drizzle, stir a few tablespoons of milk into the sauce to create a thinner consistency.

Cut the pie into wedges and transfer to plates.

Drizzle each pie wedge with more sauce and serve.

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:
8 ounces Cream Cheese 1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 16 ounces Cool Whip
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust Chocolate or fudge syrup

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cool whip until well blended. Pour into the pre-made pie crust. Drizzle a little chocolate syrup on the top. Refrigerate.

Pie Crust Recipe

2/3 cup shortening

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

7 TB ice water

Blend all but the water with a fork or pastry mixer until pea size pieces. Blend in gently 4 TB water then again with the 3 TB water. Press together with your hands and split in two. Roll out for pie shape.

Pecan Pie

1 cup karo syrup 1 heaping cup pecans

1 cup brown sugar 3 eggs beaten

1/3 cup melted butter ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients and pour into an uncooked pie crust. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min. until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Libby’s pumpkin pie (makes 2)

2 eggs slightly beaten 2 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups pumpkin 1 tsp. ginger

1 ½ cup sugar ½ tsp. cloves

1 tsp. salt 3 1/3 cups evaporated milk (2 cans)

2 uncooked pie shell’s

Mix in order given, pour into pie shells. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 min. Then reduce to 350 for 45 min.

Perfect Apple Pie

6-7 peeled and sliced tart apples (granny smith or golden delicious work well)

3/4 cup sugar ¼ tsp. nutmeg

2 Tbs flour ¼ tsp. salt (optional)

1 tsp. cinnamon dash of lemon juice and 2-3 small pats of butter

Mix together and place in uncooked pastry, cover with top, bake 375 for 55 min.

Upside down Carmel Apple Pie (Alteration of Apple Pie)

Heat oven to 425. Create a glaze of ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 1 TB butter or margarine, 1 TB light corn syrup. Pour glaze into bottom of pie pan and sprinkle with 1/3 cup pecan halves coarsely chopped. Gently place pie shell over glaze and fill with apple pie mixture. Bake 55 min. let stand for 5 min. loosen edges and fip over onto a serving plate. Cool for 1 hour before serving.

Baked Berry Pie

5 cups berries

2/3 c. sugar

2-3 Tbl. Flour

1 Tbl. Crushed Tapioca

1 Tbl. Lemon juice

1 Tbl. Butter

Use a 9 inch pie crust uncooked top and bottom. Mix the berries with the sugar, flour and tapioca. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with butter. Cover with top pie crust, crease together edges and poke the top for air holes. Bake at 400 for 40 min. It will set up better if you let it cool. I use black, blues and raspberries mixed or just one.

Crumb Topping:

1 cup flour, ¼ cup Quick oats, 4 Tbl. Butter softened, 2 Tbl. Sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon Blend and sprinkle instead of using a top crust.

Fresh Berry Pie

5 c. fresh berries 1 baked pie shell

½ cup sugar cream cheese layer

2 Tbl. Cornstarch

Splash or lemon juice

¼ cup water if berries are fresh(not frozen)

Crush 1 c. berries in a saucepan with water, sugar and cornstarch. Mix until smooth as you can get it. Stir over med-high heat until thick. It will darken as it thickens. Cool Mix with the other fresh berries and pour over baked shell with cream cheese layer. Chill for 4 hours if you want it to set.

Cream cheese layer: Cream together 1 8oz pkg cream cheese with ½ cup powdered sugar. I like to also mix with about 1 cup whipped cream or cool whip to give it a fluffy texture but then it makes enough for two pies.

This is a basic recipe I use for Blackberries, blueberries or strawberries. I also just make the sauce

Chocolate Mousse Pie with Coconut Almond Crust

Crust:
2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites slightly beaten

To make crust coat a deep 9 in pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Place coconut, almonds, sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Add vanilla to egg whites and mix into coconut and sides of pie plate. Bake for 12-15 min. at 375 degrees. do not overbake. Cool (I thought there was a bit to much crust for the filling)


Filling:
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. unfavored gelatin (1/2 envelope)
1 1/4 cup whipping cream (divided)
4 egg yolks slightly beaten
1/2 cup ganulated sugar
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla

To make filling: In a small saucepan combine the milk and gelatin and let sit for 5 min. Add 1/2 cup of the whipping cream, the egg yolks and granulated sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat about 5 min. until the mistrue coats the back of a metal spoon (160 degrees). Place chocolate in mixing bowl and pour hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand a few minutes and then stir gentally until the chocolate is all incorporated in then add the vanilla. Place in the fridge for 30 min. stirring after 15 min. Beat the chocolate mixture with an electric mixer for 3-4 min. until the mixture is light and fluffy. In a medium bowl beat remaining 3/4 cup whipping cream unitl soft peaks form. Gently fold the two together and then spread in the cooled crust. Place in feezer for up to 2 months. Thaw about 30 min. before serving.

Garnish with whipped cream if you are not frazzeled by forgetting the flour in the apple pie filling. Thanks for coming everyone.

Squash

Our first cooking and preparedness class was about squash. Our class presenters were Ellen, Annette B. and her neighbor, Suzie (I think that was her name). Ellen started off by showing us all how to make a pumpkin pie from the actual pumpkin. Did you know that you can make aproximatley 12 pies from one pumpkin? It depends on the size of your pumpkin of course. But how economical is that? Here is her recipe:

Crust
1 3/4 Cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 to 4 Tbsp. of ice water


Filling:
15 oz pumpkin
2 eggs
12 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sgar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat to 425. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce to 350 and bake for 30 to 40 more minutes. If using a 10-12 inch pie pan you may need to increase cooking time to an hour.

Our next demonstration was by Annette Bell showing us how to make Zucchini Soup. This recipe was super quick and we all agreed it was very tasty.

Zucchini Soup

3 cups zucchini, cut in cubes
1 cup Onions, chopped
1/2 cup bacon, diced uncooked
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. basil
dash pepper
2 cups chicken broth

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes, puree in blender. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and croutons.

Our last presenter was Suzie who showed us four different types of cooked squash. I believe she had grown each one and she had spaghetti, butternut, delicata and acorn. We got to taste each one. It was interesting to try all of them at the same time and be able to tell a difference in texture and taste.

Can you name each one?

We learned that the difference between a winter squash and a summer squash is that the winter squash has a thicker skin. You can take the whole squash and cook it whole in your oven without cutting it up. This is how Suzie does it. She cut them open in front of us and you could see the steam billowing out. A great tip on how to cook them!

Darilyn May brought some Pumpkin bread that is made with whole wheat flower and very little oil. It is a recipe that you can use your food storage with. It was very good and moist. The recipe was found at Everyday Food Storage. Check out this sight. It's a must read for everyone wanting to cook from their food storage.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 egg whites (or 2 T. dryPowdered Egg + 1/4 C. Water)
1/2 cup fat-free milk (1-1/2 T. Dry Powdered Milk + 1/2 C. Water)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
2-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Grease a nonstick 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Mix pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt; stir just until moistened.

SPOON the pumpkin batter into prepared pan.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to loosen bread; cool in pan on wire rack 10 min. Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool completely.


The answer to the squash quiz is 1. Delicata 2. Acorn 3. Butternut 4. Spaghetti